Gonzaga Basketball: 5 takeaways from 2022-23 non-conference campaign

Dec 12, 2022; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Ben Gregg (33) and forward Drew Timme (2) celebrate after a play against the Northern Illinois Huskies in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga won 88-67. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

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Gonzaga Basketball guard Hunter Sallis James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Gonzaga’s bench has shown promise

The rotation has become consistent after some questions heading into the season. At times, it was a seven-man rotation, with Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith (8.6 ppg in 21 mpg) and Hunter Sallis (4.9 ppg in 17 mpg) getting consistent minutes. Both have played key roles in games, whether it’s Smith’s scoring punch or Sallis’ elite perimeter defense.

At the start of the season, LSU transfer Efton Reid figured to be the first big man off the bench. However, he just hasn’t been a good fit next to Timme in the frontcourt and Anton Watson has quietly been a gem for the Bulldogs, which has affected his minutes greatly.

What’s also been a factor is the emergence of redshirt sophomore, Ben Gregg. He didn’t play much until the game against Purdue, where the hope was that his shooting ability would work against star center, Zach Edey. He made a couple of shots and his energy allowed the team to make a small comeback, which earned him more time going forward.

Gregg has made the most of it, including an 18-point and 7-rebound performance against Northern Illinois. He still gets spot minutes against the better teams so it’ll be interesting to see what it’ll look like in the WCC, as well as whether or not we’ll see more of Reid. Overall, it’s been a solid bench performance for the Bulldogs, who have players that can fulfill specific roles for them.